I just lucked into a lot of good people man. In my life and through friends, and in the music, that really embraced me and took care of me. I'm a lucky guy.

Justin Di Cioccio led a jazz program at Music and Art, but there was no jazz in Performing Arts. After they joined, it became Laguardia School of Arts.

Connection to the music and the history was very powerful to me. I think that's what I feel the most blessed about.

I took some comp for non-comp major classes with Giacomo Bracali and Ludmila Ulela, who was a really famous composition teacher.

Only through service and sacrifice can you become great.

[Winning the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition]definitely opened some doors.

I have to say, music was always my self preservation survival technique. This sort of sacred space in my life and in my mind.